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Baccalaureate
Degree in ASL-English Interpretation
Frequently Asked Questions
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EICP Specific Questions
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- If I did not receive my Educational Interpreting
Certificate at the conclusion of my EICP coursework, do I qualify
to apply for the BA?
- When it says 18 credits in an emphasis area does
that include classes that were taken in EICP?
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Transfer Credit Questions
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- How do I know if my credits will transfer?
- Will there be someone to assist me in making sure
my general education requirements are met?
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Class/Distance Learning Questions
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- Are all classes online?
- What are the summer sessions like? How much time
should I plan on being "in class"?
- How many classes are offered each semester?
- What if I have never done distance learning before?
- Most of the program is online but where do the
summer sessions happen?
- Am I required to stay on campus during the one-month
summer sessions?
- Is the BA something I can do at my own pace or
must I follow a specific schedule?
- How much time is necessary to successfully participate
in this program?
- Can I take just the classes that interest me without
entering the BA program?
- Do I need to pass an exit screening to receive
my bachelor's degree?
- Where can I find a schedule of classes offered?
- How many summers do I have to come to Colorado?
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Financial Aid/Cost Questions
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- What is the cost per credit hour? Are there any
other fees?
- Who can I contact for Financial Aid?
- If I do not qualify for Financial Aid, does the
university have a payment plan?
- How do I find out about scholarship? How do I
know if I qualify? Is there a list I can apply to?
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Miscellaneous Questions
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- How do I get my instructional materials?
- What technology do I have to have to be in this
program?
- Who teaches in this program?
- What do I get at the end? Can I "graduate"?
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ANSWERS
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Application Questions
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- How
do I apply to the American Sign Language-English Interpretation
BA program?
There is a 3-step process through UNC (1 step) and the DO IT Center
(2 steps). Application deadline for Summer 2009 TBA, please check back with us.
- How do I know if
I'm considered a transfer student or a first time freshman student?
This is determined during the UNC admissions process after official
transcripts have been reviewed. A transfer student is one with
13 hours or more of college credits already successfully completed
(minimum of a 2.4 GPA); a first time freshman student has twelve
or less credits of college work. Acceptance and placement in the
ASL-English Interpretation program is decided by the 2-step application
process done through the DO IT Center.
- How soon after applying
will I know if I am accepted into the degree program?
There are several steps to the application process (see Q1 above).
It could take up to 6 weeks or more depending on when required
documentation is received by UNC and the DO IT Center.
- I read in the UNC
online admissions process information that AAS and AGS degrees
do not transfer to UNC. Does this mean that none of my credits
will transfer?
Within the state of Colorado, there is an agreement between the
community colleges and universities that an AA degree will transfer
in its entirety; AAS and AGS do not transfer as a "degree".
UNC will review the transcripts of all other applicants and each
credit is considered for transfer.
- Do I have to pick
an area of emphasis or can I take classes from each…for example
community and legal interpreting?
All students must select 18 credits in an emphasis area. Three
have been designed - Community, Educational, or Legal Interpreting
- or with advisement, you can select courses across the emphasis
areas to create a generalist interpreter emphasis.
- Where do I get a
catalog so I can start selecting my general education courses?
The UNC catalog is available online at http://www.unco.edu
or you can call 1.888.700.4862 and request one. Use it as
a guide, but know that you may consider taking the liberal arts
core courses through your local college or university and transferring
those credits to UNC. In some case, this makes more sense (e.g.,
scheduling, logistics, and finances) than taking them online from
UNC.
- If I'm a current
or former UNC student, how do I apply?
You would apply the same way, by going through the UNC and DO
IT Center admissions process. There will be different paperwork
for you as a former/current UNC student and the Admissions Office
can help you with that.
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EICP Specific Questions
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- If I did not receive
my Educational Interpreting Certificate at the conclusion of my
EICP coursework, do I qualify to apply for the BA?
Yes, anyone is eligible to apply and through the 3-step
application process a decision as to acceptance and appropriate
placement will be made.
- When it says 18 credits
in an emphasis area does that include classes that were taken
in EICP?
All submitted college transcripts will be reviewed for transfer
credit, including the EICP or Legal Interpreter Training Program.
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Transfer Credit Questions
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- How do I know if my
credits will transfer?
Transfer credit must first be reviewed by the UNC Admissions Office
and then by DO IT Center staff. First, UNC Admissions will determine
equivalency of credit for transfer in the required liberal arts
core. The Admission Office will notify the applicants of that
determination.
Admissions will, at the same time, forward the transcripts for
review by BA program staff. This second review will specifically
target ASL and interpreting credit on transcript. A second transcript
review will be sent to the applicant at the end of that process.
Candidates will then know what credit has been accepted for transfer.
- Will
there be someone to assist me in making sure my general education
requirements are met?
Once you are accepted into the program, a program advisor will
be available to you.
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Class/Distance Learning Questions
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- Are all classes online?
Three-quarters of the major and emphasis area coursework is online.
However, the one month summer semester (about 24% of the program)
is "on ground", hosted on the UNC home campus in Greeley,
CO.
- What are the summer
sessions like? How much time should I plan on being "in class"?
You will take about 6-7 credits each summer. These are intense
sessions that are scheduled from about 8 AM to 5 PM weekdays.
There is required daily homework and major assignments that typically
take some portion of the weekends. The coursework offered during
the summer sessions focuses on the intense language and interpreting
coursework and is a required part of the bachelor's program. These
credits will not be offered online. They are prerequisites for
the fall semesters since you cannot register for the distance
mentorship labs without the foundation built during the face-to-face
summer work. Students are strongly advised to clear their calendars
for this period of time to focus exclusively on their coursework.
- How many classes
are offered each semester?
Once you have matriculated (been accepted) into the program, you
will take between 5-11 credits in the major each semester - Fall,
Spring, and Summer. As well, liberal arts core courses will need
to be taken to fulfill the degree requirements. (See sample
schedule.)
Where you are in program, as well as what you transferred into
the program will impact the number of credits you take each semester.
The first two years, for example, allows some time each semester
to include the liberal arts core requirements, while the last
two years is more exclusively focused on the courses in the major.
A full-time student (12-15 hours per semester) can expect to complete
the program in 4 years.
- What if I've never
done distance learning before?
You will have UNC and DO IT Center staff members to support and
guide you through the process. Initially, you will participate
in a one-month online orientation that you will log in to and
"practice" using the various functions of BlackBoard
(our online virtual classroom). During this orientation, you will
explore distance learning, adult learning, and more about the
program itself, in addition to doing some self-assessments to
identify your own strengths and weaknesses as a distance student.
Technical support is available for all UNC distance students.
- Most of the program
is online but where does the onsite, summer sessions happen?
The summer semesters are hosted at the University of Northern
Colorado in Greeley. This is toward the northeast corner of the
state, about an hour away from Denver. http://www.unco.edu/uncmap/
- Am I required to
stay on campus during the one month summer sessions?
There are certain advantages to being with classmates and working
together toward a common goal. Being on campus also reduces some
of the distractions of your "daily life". On-campus
Residence Halls are made available during the summer sessions,
but you can make your own decision about housing arrangements.
- Is
the BA something I can do at my own pace or must I follow a specific
schedule?
The degree program courses are structured, online courses with
specific due dates that are offered sequentially with pre-requisites.
This program is not designed as an independent study since much
of the learning occurs in the asynchronous interactions with other
students and staff members from around the nation. However, you
will be given the due dates in advance so you can schedule your
time accordingly. What time of day you do your coursework and
required discussions is up to you as long as they are posted or
submitted by the assignment due dates.
- How much time is
necessary to successfully participate in this program?
This is a challenge to answer as there are many impacting variables
that are unique to you and your situation. For instance, how fast
do you read and comprehend information that is new to you? How
fast is your Internet connection? How disciplined are you and
how many distracters do you have?
Based on traditional undergraduate credit loads, a general formula
can be used for consideration. A lecture course (meaning it is
not a lab or practicum course) is typical designed as a 3-credit
hour course. This would mean 45 hours of "class time"
over the semester. This would be equivalent to the time a traditional
student would spend in a classroom with the teacher. Additionally,
a student would expect about 90 hours of "outside class time"
that would include readings, projects, assignments, etc. These
135 hours (in-class plus outside of class time) would be dispersed
over the 15 week semester, requiring about 9 hours of work per
week for the one 3-credit hour course. If you review the Sample
Schedule, you can get a sense of what time commitment would
be necessary. Since most semesters the major is delivering between
7-9 credit hours, you can see that somewhere between 21-27 hours
of academic work will need to be set aside from your other routine
activities.
Caution: this formula is provided as an example only. Lab courses,
practicum courses, liberal arts core requirements and other factors
will impact the time necessary to successfully complete this program.
Additionally, the course hours are rarely divided evenly among
the weeks, as there is more intensity, for example, when assignments
are due than when readings and discussions are going on. The recommendation
is that you realistically view this program as an undergraduate
major working toward a baccalaureate degree.
- Can
I take just the classes that interest me without entering the
BA program?
No, the program is built as an integrated curriculum with pre-requisites
on the majority of courses. Additionally, each class is accepted
as a full cohort of students which does not easily accommodate
other students entering and leaving.
- Do I need to pass
an exit screening to receive my BA?
A portfolio assessment is the overarching evaluation tool of the
degree program. There will be benchmarks throughout the four-year
program that will ensure you are prepared to successfully exit
the program. Assessments will happen in various formats throughout
the program, including the exit point, so that you will be ready
to confidently approach the professional certification process
within 12 - 18 months of graduation.
- Where
can I find a schedule of classes offered?
The tentative 4-year schedule can be found by clicking on this
link: Sample Schedule. Current students are advised of specific
course schedules as they move through the program.
- How many summers
do I have to come to Colorado?
There are 3 designed summer sessions in the program. The summers
you will personally be involved are dependent on the number of
credit hours that are transferred, as well as your ASL competencies,
and where you are placed within the program sequence. You will
receive advisement once you are in the program.
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Financial Aid/Cost Questions
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- What is the cost per
credit hour? Are there any other fees?
This is a national, distance-learning program and therefore there
is no in-state/out-of-state tuition deferential. There is a distance
learning tuition cost that is reviewed each year by the Colorado
governing board, regardless of whether you live across the street
or across the nation. For the academic year 2008-2009, the tuition
is $250.00 per credit hour. Tuition rates are adjusted each year
by Colorado and UNC processes. Additional fees are nominal and
would include the admissions process and other campus fees, such
as a photo ID during summer sessions.
- Who can I contact
for Financial Aid?
You can get to the UNC Financial Aid Office at http://www.unco.edu/ofa/index.asp.
- If I do not qualify
for Financial Aid, does the University have a payment plan?
Yes, you will need to work with the Financial Aid Office. http://www.unco.edu/ofa/index.asp
- How do I find out
about scholarship? How do I know if I qualify? Is there a list
I can apply to?
There are hundreds of scholarship opportunities "out there".
Do a web search or contact UNC Financial Aid Office for assistance.
When the DO IT Center has specific scholarships,
they will be posted on this site.
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Miscellaneous Questions
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- How
do I get my instructional materials?
The UNC Bookstore can be accessed online and you would simply
order and pay (e.g., credit card) for the materials identified
for the courses you are enrolled to take that semester. The Bookstore
then mails the specified materials (i.e., textbook, CDs, videotapes,
etc.) to your home address. This is a process that requires planning
ahead, but it does work for UNC distance learners.
- What
technology do I have to have to be in this program?
Please see LINK.
- Who
teaches in this program?
One of the benefits of a distance learning program is that instructional
staff members do not need to be in one office. Therefore, the
program can select teachers, both deaf and hearing, from throughout
North America. This exposes you, as a student, to some of the
best and brightest the field has to offer. It also ensures that
you have opportunities to work with more than one or two professors.
- What
do I get at the end? Can I "graduate"?
As academic requirements are met, you will request a degree audit
to make sure everything has been successfully accomplished. When
that is confirmed, you will have the opportunity to participate
in the UNC undergraduate commencement ceremony and celebrate your
graduation with other UNC students, as well as your family and
friends. Your diploma will be conferred via standard UNC processes/systems.
You will be a UNC graduate!
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